Wasn't Neil Broom in the squad? Why are they playing CDG at number six when he's an option?

Well, CDG averaged 44 (125 SR) in the Ford Trophy last season, 70 in PS, the pie loves that ****. Broom had a very poor PS and FT.

Don't squander the gold of your days making a shrine of cricket videos, trying to improve the hopeless failure, giving your life away to the Blockys, the Devciches and the Weerasundaras! Surrender your devout little cricketing heart to the inured agribusinessman.

As I've said before, I have found de Grandhomme's entire career in New Zealand to be rather odd. I was a very keen follower of Zimbabwean cricket around the time of Colin's move and the perception of him as a youth cricketer was that of a genuine, classy top-4 batsman. He opened more often than not and very good things were said about his technique and application. He did very little bowling at this point although I was aware that he bowled "a little bit of medium pace" and yet when he turned up in the Auckland side at first he was there for his bowling as much as his batting. That's what I first found surprising, but even now that he's become known more as a batsman-who-bowls-sometimes, he's an Afridi-style lower middle order basher. He doesn't even bat in the top four at club level very often does he?

Do you know if he made a conscious decision to change his game at some point or was I just given bad info about what sort of player he was from the start?

Rejecting 'analysis by checklist' and 'skill absolutism' since Dec '09

Pace wise, how was Mitch? He always goes for runs but seems to get wickets. Looks like we have a chance here, the 5 bowler is the thing I'm worried about. CDC mixed with Worker I guess, will be interesting when they are brought on. Cant afford to drop the pressure or they will get a partnership underway.

Wow, Ellis just bowled one that absolutely took off. Wicket has mostly been fairly true from what I've seen, though with some decent seam movement. Still laughing at the shot from Menaria to Boult - the shot of many a young subcontinent batsmen on first trip to NZ, who has been spooked by the bounce and seam movement.

As I've said before, I have found de Grandhomme's entire career in New Zealand to be rather odd. I was a very keen follower of Zimbabwean cricket around the time of Colin's move and the perception of him as a youth cricketer was that of a genuine, classy top-4 batsman. He opened more often than not and very good things were said about his technique and application. He did very little bowling at this point although I was aware that he bowled "a little bit of medium pace" and yet when he turned up in the Auckland side at first he was there for his bowling as much as his batting. That's what I first found surprising, but even now that he's become known more as a batsman-who-bowls-sometimes, he's an Afridi-style lower middle order basher. He doesn't even bat in the top four at club level very often does he?

Do you know if he made a conscious decision to change his game at some point or was I just given bad info about what sort of player he was from the start?

I saw him from ball one in NZ and he was never a top four option - apart from club cricket, obviously. He's always been very decent technically but application as we all know is where it falls over sometimes. He came to Howick for one season in 2004-05, didn't say boo to a goose, scored not a lot of runs and took not many wickets and we all thought we'd seen the last of him. He came back, boomed a ridiculous 100 in a one-day club final and went on from there. His bowling was a conscious work-on from about 2008, and he improved quite a lot - took 20-30 wickets in a four-day season from memory - but got tendonitis in a knee and had to reel it in.

I dunno if you got bad info, he could well have been in Zimbabwe. He's definitely top four at club level, opens in limited overs and four in two-dayers when available. He's too good for that level by a long way. His bowling is also good at that level, bowls away shape and a slightly heavy ball which worked well at FC level until he was injured.

Unfortunately today was another typical Colin innings. 14 off 12, four off his first ball, almost played on with his second, then plays a horrific shot to hole out off a leggie on a green one. They picked him for NZ as they backed themselves to get the best out of him but it hasn't happened yet.

McClenaghan looks a definite rung or three below Boult and Wagner. Wonder if he could gain a bit more pace through the crease... may be restricted by previous injuries.

Boult Just bowled a testing delivery to one of the India lefties (Menaria) who had absolutely no idea and edged to slip.

That's no surprise - Mitch hasn't bowled in a match since March. He's supremely fit and carrying no injuries but is slightly rusty, and a bit bulkier (muscle wise, there's not an ounce of fat on him) than end of last season. 3-42 is a pretty damn first hitout for him, even if it was on a green one and luck went his way a bit. I was going to say he'll get quicker as the series goes on but he's off to South Africa with the Aces come next week.

I didn't see the Ellis runout, what happened? Derek did used to be a run-out merchant from what I remember...sneaky lil bastard.

Ellis pushed the ball straight to cover, de Boorder came screaming down the wicket looking for a quick single, Ellis didn't move until de Boorder was halfway down, and barely made it halfway before being run out. It's difficult to know for sure whose fault it was without sound. But it was Ellis' call to make, he was clearly hesitant and there was never really a run in it, so I'm gonna say Ellis had the right to feel aggrieved.

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

I can think of a list of Sydney Grade posters who would contribute a better average post than Bahnz.

Ellis pushed the ball straight to cover, de Boorder came screaming down the wicket looking for a quick single, Ellis didn't move until de Boorder was halfway down, and barely made it halfway before being run out. It's difficult to know for sure whose fault it was without sound. But it was Ellis' call to make, he was clearly hesitant and there was never really a run in it, so I'm gonna say Ellis had the right to feel aggrieved.

Ha, yeah I spose it is regular runout material, though you don't tend to see quite as many of this yes/no/start/stop/run/no/stay types of runouts theeeeese days. Was just a tad amusing